turf racing

'Pimlico Plus' Concerns: Roving Preakness, Future Of Turf Racing, Synthetic Readiness

'The Week in Review', by T.D. Thornton A few items that stand out after sifting through Friday's "Pimlico Plus" report issued by the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA). The ambitious $400-million plan, which is subject to legislative approval, re-imagines the state's racing consolidated at one publicly funded track in Baltimore, the closure of Laurel Park, the construction of a new training facility in the state, and 1/ST Racing and Gaming ceding control of day-to-day Maryland racing to a non-profit entity. Triple Crown traditionalists who are already in a tizzy...

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Sunday Insights: Son Of City Of Light Debuts Over Gulfstream Turf

6th-GP, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 2:34 p.m. ET. I SEE YOU LOOKIN (City of Light) makes his first start Sunday for trainer Todd Pletcher. The $400,000 Keeneland September Sale grad is a half-sister to MGSP Lady Aces (Constitution), who was purchased for $200,000 at Keeneland November last year by the China Horse Club. Dam Economy of Motion (Pleasantly Perfect) is herself a half to MGISW Paradise Woods (Union Rags). Digging deeper into this extended female family, we find this debut runner's third dam is a half-sister to MGSW Mr. Greeley...

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NYRA Reduces Aqueduct Turf Races

Following months of heavy rain, the New York Racing Association will reduce the number of turf races offered at the Aqueduct Fall Meet. A total of 13 races will be moved to the main track from Nov. 9 through 19, which covers the final eight days of the current condition book. There will be a reduction of two turf races (races four and nine) on the 9th, three on the 10th (two, three and five), one on the 11th (race four) and 12th (race nine), three on the 16th (one,...

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Sacred Wish Looks To Stay Clean On the Green In Valley View

The GIII Bank of America Valley View S. kicks off the graded action on the final two days of the fall meeting at Keeneland, and a mostly evenly matched group of sophomore fillies will head to the post. Sacred Wish (Not This Time) was something other than a failure on the main track, with placings in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks--in her first start following a private acquisition by a partnership group headed up by Black Type Thoroughbreds and Swinbank Stable--and a near miss behind Wet Paint (Blame) in the...

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Thursday's Racing Insights: Copper Bullet Filly Debuts On Keeneland Grass

9th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 5:16 p.m. ET Fresh off his inaugural stakes win last weekend, Darby Dan's first-crop sire Copper Bullet will be represented by Winchell homebred COPPERDROP in her grassy Keeneland debut here. Out of a productive Tapit dam who is full-sister to GIII Silverbulletday S. victor War Echo as well as a half to GI Forego S. winner Pyro (Pulpit), the Steve Asmussen trainee counts TVG.com Pegasus S. hero Pneumatic (Uncle Mo) and the stakes-placed duo of Costa Terra (Gun Runner) and Echo Again (Gun...

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Long Weekend, Keeneland's Haggin Turf Course Hosts A Trio Of Graded Races

Keeneland's lawn debuted during the 1985 Fall meet in an era when American turf courses were just coming into vogue. According to a back issue of the track's media guide, through 2016 they had two names for their grass course. The Keeneland Course referred to the one with rail up, while the normal configuration with it down was called the Haggin Course. Named for Louis Lee Haggin II, who was not only Keeneland's President from 1940-1956, but the decade before had purchased the 550-acre Sycamore Farm in Woodford County. Serving...

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Horseshoe Indy Makes Donation To Grayson Jockey Club Equine Research

Horseshoe Indianapolis hosted the fourth annual Grayson Grass Challenge throughout the month of August to benefit Grayson-Jockey Club Equine Research and made a $9.6k donation as a result. "We just completed our fourth year hosting this event and the handicappers involved raised a record amount for Grayson," said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. "Grayson came to us a few years ago about partnering on a promotion and this special contest emerged as a result. We are elated to donate a total of $9,674.60 to Grayson this...

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Sod Dabbler Or Diver, Saturday's Graded Stakes Runs Deep

The going sticks will get stuck and with the rails down or out, the Saturday graded stakes lineup trucks in with heaps of sod for your turf racing enjoyment. Whether you are a dabbling duck or one that takes a deep dive, there is something for everyone as the Downs--Kentucky and Colonial--plus Woodbine Racetrack and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, all feature high-level grass action. KENTUCKY DOWNS GRADED SIX PACK The uniquely designed turf course at Kentucky Downs cards the most graded stakes this Saturday, which will lead off with...

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West VA Derby Winner Red Route One Targets Dueling Grounds Derby

Sunday's GIII West Virginia Derby winner Red Route One (Gun Runner) is expected to make his next start in the National Thoroughbred League Dueling Grounds Derby Sept. 3 at the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs. The Steve Asmussen-trainee began his career with a victory over the Kentucky Downs grass last year and owner Ron Winchell is a co-managing partner with Marc Falcone in Kentucky Downs and its sister The Mint Gaming Hall properties. "I think since he had been successful there last year, we have always had our eye on...

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Off The Turf Wednesday At Saratoga

Wednesday's four flat races carded for the grass at Saratoga will be contested on the main track, according to a tweet from the New York Racing Association. The third race for state-bred 2-year-old filly maidens will retain its original distance and be run over 5 1/2 on the dirt. Originally scheduled for a mile and three furlongs an optional claimer/second-level allowance will now be run at a mile and a quarter on the main track as race four. Race six for open 2-year-old filly maidens will go at 5 1/2...

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Maltese Falcon Spies Graded Prize In La Jolla Win

A six-start maiden, Maltese Falcon (Ire) (Caravaggio) was nevertheless dispatched as the public's choice for Sunday's GIII La Jolla H. and duly obliged with a perfect-trip graduation. Neatly drawn in stall three in a field of eight in this final prep for the GII Del Mar Derby, the 105,000gns Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training purchase found a good spot at the fence right on the back of a sedate tempo set jointly by Agency (Bolt d'Oro) and Justin's Legacy (Justify). Juan Hernandez was content to allow Maltese Falcon to bide...

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Uncle Mo's Nomos Leaves No Doubt In Monmouth Turf Debut

1st-Monmouth, $55,250, Msw, 8-6, 2yo, 1mT, 1:39.91, fm, 4 lengths. NOMOS (c, 2, Uncle Mo--Westit {GB} {SP-Fr, SP-USA}, by Tapit) went off favored at 9-5 in this grass debut and got a clean start against the fence from the two slot after the rail horse steadied and was pulled up early in the race. Racing in the middle of a tightly-bunched group into the backstretch through an easy opening quarter in :24.15, he stayed glued to the inside and began to pick up momentum and position as the field swung...

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